Dental impressions and associated physical or digital reproductions of a patient's teeth can be used by dentists or orthodontists to diagnose or treat an oral condition, such as the misalignment of the patient's teeth. For example, to take a dental impression, a dental tray having a viscous, thixotropic impression material is fit over the dental arches of the patient, and then the impression material sets to a solid over time, thereby providing an imprint of the patient's dental arches once the dental trays are removed from the patient's mouth. The impressions provide a detailed and stable negative of the patient's teeth and tissues in their mouth. The negative impressions may then be utilized to produce a physical or digital reproduction of the patient's teeth and surrounding tissues.
Traditionally, dental impressions are made in a dental office and require significant time. Dental offices typically deliver the dental impressions to an outside vendor that utilizes the impressions to form a positive model of the teeth and surrounding tissue. If the dental impressions includes any errors (e.g., incomplete impression of the teeth and tissues), the patient may be required to return to the dental office to have a second impression made. Furthermore, if the dental impressions are used by the dental professional in the course of administering a continuing treatment plan, the patient is typically required to undergo many check-up appointments at the dental office so that the dental professional can track the patient's treatment and modify the treatment plan as necessary. Each of these examples results in significant inconvenience to the patient and increases the cost of the treatment plan to both the dental professional and the patient.